Actually, I'd suggested a queer study group for the same reasons that queer and queer positive spaces exist on plenty of campuses (in North America and Western Europe at least): to guarantee people a place where they can feel comfortable about their gender expression and sexuality. Contrary to what you might think, there are a lot of people out there that would skip out on opportunities like the one that I've suggested if they didn't have the queer, or queer positive stipulation. And frankly, I also just forgot to include "and queer positive" in my OP--although in many cases, it's pretty much viewed as tacit when you say "queer"

Also, I realize that "Funkycrime" was joking with the "maybe it's a euphemism" comment, but I found the suggestion pretty offensive. It's not funny to attach those kinds of associations to every queer get together, and jokes like yours (and those of the other posters on this thread) perpetuate a lot of intolerant assumptions. I find it really hard to believe that you'd jump to the same conclusion if someone posted "Hey, anyone in the Toronto area want to get together IRL to study for the December LSAT?"; you'd rightly assume, first, that people would gauge the shadiness of the poster before meeting up, and second, that it's unlikely that there are predators out there with a fetish for sleep-deprived prospective law school grads on forums like this one.

Actually, I'd suggested a queer study group for the same reasons that queer and queer positive spaces exist on plenty of campuses (in North America and Western Europe at least): to guarantee people a place where they can feel comfortable about their gender expression and sexuality. Contrary to what you might think, there are a lot of people out there that would skip out on opportunities like the one that I've suggested if they didn't have the queer, or queer positive stipulation. And frankly, I also just forgot to include "and queer positive" in my OP--although in many cases, it's pretty much viewed as tacit when you say "queer"

Also, I realize that "Funkycrime" was joking with the "maybe it's a euphemism" comment, but I found the suggestion pretty offensive. It's not funny to attach those kinds of associations to every queer get together, and jokes like yours (and those of the other posters on this thread) perpetuate a lot of intolerant assumptions. I find it really hard to believe that you'd jump to the same conclusion if someone posted "Hey, anyone in the Toronto area want to get together IRL to study for the December LSAT?"; you'd rightly assume, first, that people would gauge the shadiness of the poster before meeting up, and second, that it's unlikely that there are predators out there with a fetish for sleep-deprived prospective law school grads on forums like this one.

If someone said "co-ed study group" it might be reasonable to make that sort of joke. Lighten up, not everything has to be a protest action. Not every joke has to be analyzed for its overall progress of society. Personally I thought this was a joke thread because "Queer" seems, to me, to be a vaguely offensive term for homosexual people.

Why do you have to feel comfortable about your expression of your sexuality while analyzing arguments and doing logic games? If anything, wouldn't expressing your sexuality while studying be a distraction?

Edit: I mean, do what you want. But isn't a study group comprised of ONLY VEGANS (for example) a random and negligible distinction?

Look, I understand that over-sensitivity can be counterproductive in most cases, but I don't feel like I'm being overly sensitive here. My post was treated as a joke, and I'd basically just asked if queer and queer positive people wanted to get together to study--how is it not legit to be concerned about something like that?

Also, I see where you're coming from with the the co-ed analogy, but this isn't the 1920s. In 2012, when you read "study group" you assume that that it's going to be co-ed. Adding "co-ed" is the equivalent of adding "GIRLS ESPECIALLY".

drive4showLSAT4dough wrote:Edit: I mean, do what you want. But isn't a study group comprised of ONLY VEGANS (for example) a random and negligible distinction?

This is something that gets brought up a lot. The difference between saying "queer study group" and "vegan study group" is that the former still experiences a lot of oppression in what you'd think are very liberal environments. It might not seem this this way to a heterosexual girl or guy because you live in a society where your gender identity and sexuality are seen as normal, but people who are trans, or see themselves as genderqueer are made to feel REALLY uncomfortable in a lot of places you wouldn't expect. I've had people yell gay slurs at me while i was riding my bike in downtown toronto, been kicked out of changing rooms and public bathrooms--I explained that I was female, but I look like a teenaged guy--and a friend of mine got death threats from a group of guys on the TTC because he was dressed in a feminine way.

Yes, most people with a university education are cool with various gender presentations, but some aren't (including professors I've had), so I don't think it's unreasonable to try to create a space where you're guaranteed to feel comfortable no matter what your gender presentation is that day. That's why I also don't think it's unreasonable for me to be offended that my post was treated the way it was.

afitouri wrote:I don't get it. Why do you care whether they are queer or not?

To be fair, the OP did mention discussing personal statements, and as a member of that community, there is some sensitivity as to whether or if you bring this type of personal information up in your essay.

lucastrato wrote:Look, I understand that over-sensitivity can be counterproductive in most cases, but I don't feel like I'm being overly sensitive here. My post was treated as a joke, and I'd basically just asked if queer and queer positive people wanted to get together to study--how is it not legit to be concerned about something like that?

Also, I see where you're coming from with the the co-ed analogy, but this isn't the 1920s. In 2012, when you read "study group" you assume that that it's going to be co-ed. Adding "co-ed" is the equivalent of adding "GIRLS ESPECIALLY".

To be honest, I don't assume when someone says "Study group" they mean NO QUEERS ALLOWED! I assume that whoever lives around me is going to show up which may or may not include queers. Just like it may or may not include women, or black people.

Anyway. You can see that this post did not achieve your objective of finding a study group, at least not thus far.

afitouri wrote:To be honest, I don't assume when someone says "Study group" they mean NO QUEERS ALLOWED! I assume that whoever lives around me is going to show up which may or may not include queers. Just like it may or may not include women, or black people.

Afitouri, you're still missing the point. Why do you think positive space campaigns exist? For the most part, it's not to say "we are not homophobic", but that people can expect an added level of sensitivity and education to queer issues, and an added level of comfortability. My problem with this thread is that (by extension anyway) it's suggesting that these sorts of campaigns are only necessary in bathhouses or other overtly sexual locations.

Also, queer people just like meeting other queer people (not just for sex)--that's one of the primary reasons LGBTQ organizations exist on campus. Trying to start up "queer and queer positive" study groups/gatherings/whatever is so commonplace that I'm having a hard time understanding why you think my post was ridiculous or out of the ordinary--beyond you just having no experience with queer issues or individuals whatsoever (and no, I'm not saying this makes you a homophobe).

And there are a lot of reasons that people might not have responded to my post on this forum yet. I was suggesting a study group made up of a very specific demographic in a Canadian city. Not to mention the ways that selection bias can impact the success of posting for IRL discussion on an online forum.

lucastrato wrote:And there are a lot of reasons that people might not have responded to my post on this forum yet. I was suggesting a study group made up of a very specific demographic in a Canadian city. Not to mention the ways that selection bias can impact the success of posting for IRL discussion on an online forum.

I'm sure the fact that it was your first post on TLS had nothing to do with it.